BBC To Launch A “Social Network Website” For 6 to 12-Year-Olds

Many articles are reporting that MyCBBC, BBC’s new “social network website” for children, is being launched to offer an alternative for children who are too young for MySpace, Facebook and other such social networking websites. They report the dismissive critics as follows:

1. The BBC is going beyond its core purposes and should stick to making programs;
2. The BBC is about to cut jobs and says it lacks funds so it should put its money elsewhere;
3. Social networking websites for children already exist (Club Penguin). ¹

But the articles may not be showing the whole picture and the critics may be jumping to conclusions a bit too quickly, at least regarding the BBC’s goals. When I read that MyCBBC will be designed to encourage users to talk about BBC shows, I was skeptical too. But according to an article at Silicon.com, MyCBBC will really not be your typical social network website:

Provisionally called MyCBBC the site is due to launch in the spring and will let kids store, display and share their favourite content from BBC shows, games and websites.²

The article also mentions users will be able to share this information with a maximum of 16 friends and that there will be no private, unmoderated interactions.

Spokespersons for BBC add that although the creation of MyCBBC will cost £200,000, the running costs will be minimal.

REFERENCES

1. Anger as BBC sets up a rival to Facebook… for six-year-olds, Thisislondon.co.uk, Jan 28 2008, Retrieved on January 29 2008.
2. 2. BBC gets savvy with web 2.0 kids, Silicon.com, Jan 29 2008, Retrieved on January 29 2008.